Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion
| Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion 5th (Huntingdonshire) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment |
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|---|---|
Cap badge of the Northamptonshire Regiment.
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| Active | 27 February 1914–1 May 1961 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
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| Branch |
 British Army
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| Type |
Bicycle infantry Infantry |
| Size | 1–3 battalions |
| Part of |
Eastern Command 162nd (East Midland) Brigade 143rd (Warwickshire) Infantry Brigade 11th Infantry Brigade 162nd Independent Infantry Brigade |
| Garrison/HQ |
Huntingdon (to 1919) Peterborough (from 1920) |
| Service | |
| Commanders | |
| Honorary Colonels |
Col. The Rt. Hon. Edward Montagu, 8th Earl of Sandwich KCVO DSO Lt.-Gen. Sir A.G. Hunter-Weston KCB DSO |
| Notable commanders |
William Edward Green |
First World War
Second World War
The Huntingdonshire Cyclist Battalion was a bicycle infantry battalion of the British Army. Formed in the Territorial Force in February 1914, it remained in the United Kingdom throughout the First World War. After the war, in 1920, it was converted to infantry and became the 5th (Huntingdonshire) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment in the Territorial Army. The battalion saw extensive service in the Second World War, fighting in France in 1940, Tunisia from 1942–43 and later Sicily and Italy from 1943–45 before ending the war in May 1945 in Austria. It continued to serve after the Second World War until May 1961 when it was amalgamated with the 4th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment to form the 4th/5th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment.
From being the closest of allies in the Crimean War (October 1853 – February 1856), Anglo-French relations had deteriorated to such an extent that by 1859 an invasion of Britain seemed a real possibility. An attempt to assassinate the French Emperor, Napoleon III, by Italian nationalists – the Orsini affair – had been linked to Britain as the bombs used in the attempt had been made and tested in England, coupled with the British Government's refusal to restrict the right of asylum. With the regular British Army stretched in the aftermath of the Indian Mutiny (May 1857 – June 1858), a popular movement saw the creation of the Volunteer Force. The first volunteer unit in Huntingdonshire was raised in Huntingdon in 1860 as the 1st Huntingdonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps. By June 1880, it had been reduced to J Company, 1st Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps at St. Neots. J Company was disbanded in 1889.
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